Kabbalah su Cantico dei cantici 2:18

Rabbi Chiya opened the discussion, "The flowers appeared on the earth, the time of the singing of the birds has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land" (Shir Hashirim 2:12). "The flowers appeared on the earth," - when the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world, He endowed the earth with appropriate powers, so that everything was in the earth but it did not produce any fruit until Adam was created. As soon as Adam was created, everything in the earth became visible, that is, the earth began to reveal the powers and products that were implanted within it. And then it was said, "The flowers appear on the earth."

Rabbi Hizkiyah opened, “It is written, as a rose among thorns.” (Song of Songs 2:2) What is the Rose? It is the Congregation of Israel. Because there is a rose, and there is a Rose. Just as the rose among the thorns is tinged with red and white, so is the Congregation of Israel affected by the qualities of Judgment and Mercy. Just as a rose has thirteen petals, the Assembly of Israel is surrounded on all sides by the thirteen attributes of Mercy. Thus, between the first mentions of the name Elohim, [in the Torah] these [thirteen] words surround and guard the Congregation of Israel.

Come and behold, it is written "And Benaiah the son of Jehoida, the son of a valiant (lit. 'living') man" (II Shmuel 23:20). This means that he was righteous and illuminated his generation as the living one above illuminates the world. Thus, the well constantly looks to the living one in order to be illuminated. "And Isaac dwelt by Be'er Lachai Ro'i. "It is written, "When he took Rivkah," FOR and as he united with her, the joining of darkness and night, as it is written, "his left hand is under my head" (Shir Hashirim 2:6) And Come and behold, Isaac was in Kiryat Arba after Abraham died. What about the verse that reads, "And Isaac dwelt by Be'er Lachai Ro'i?" That with which he joined and was united in that well, to stir up love, as we said.

Come and behold, when Abraham came into the world, he embraced the moon and brought her near. When Isaac came, he took her and held her and drew her lovingly, as it is written, "his left hand is under my head" (Shir Hashirim 2:6). When Jacob came, he united the sun, with the moon and it shone. So Jacob became whole in every aspect, and the moon shone, and was perfected by the twelve tribes.

"In the beginning," Rabbi Shimon opened, "the flower buds appeared on the earth." (Song of Songs 2:12) “The flower buds” refer to the act of Creation. When had they "appeared on the earth"? On the third day, as it is said, “And the earth brought forth grass.” [Genesis 1:12] That was when they appeared on the earth. The time of "pruning doves" [Song of Songs 2:12] has come, alluding to the fourth day, when the "pruning of the tyrants" took place. ["stars" in Gen. 1:14 shares a spelling with "curses"] The voice of the turtle dove [Songs 2:14] refers to the fifth day, where it is written, “Let the waters swarm,” [Gen. 1:20] so as to produce offspring. “It is heard” [Songs 2:12] refers to the sixth day, where it is written, “Let us create man,” [Gen 1:26] and there it is said, “All that [the LORD] has spoken we will faithfully do.” [Exodus 24:7] "Let us make man" [Gen 1:26], who shall put action before listening. Because it says here, "Let us make man," while there on Mount Sinai, when the LORD asked Israel about the Torah, they said "we will faithfully do". [Exodus 24:7]. "In the land" [Songs 2:12] refers to the day of Shabbat, which represents the Land of Life.

Rabbi Yitzchak said, Though she acted wisely toward the servant, I do not yet know if her behavior was right or not. Rather, Come and behold, it is written, "Like the rose among thorns, so is my love among the daughters" (Shir Hashirim 2:2). The rose is the congregation of Yisrael which is among the legions as a rose among the thorns. The hidden meaning is that Isaac came from the side of Abraham, supernal Chesed, who is kind to all creatures. And although he represented Severe Judgment, (he draws Chesed from Abraham). Rivkah also came from the side of Harsh Judgment (of Bethuel and Laban). Although she was herself of Weak Judgment and a thread of Chesed was attached to her, nevertheless she came from Severe Judgment. Thus, because Isaac was severe in his judgment and Rivkah was softer in her Judgment, she was as a rose among the thorns. If she were not of Weak Judgment, the world would not have been able to bear the Harsh Judgment of Isaac. In this manner, the Holy One, blessed be He, joins couples in the world, the severe with the weak, so as to balance everything, and the world would be sweetened.

And he taught of impure white spots (macula) as bright as the snow, 300 halachic rules, and 216 explanations of the verses of Shir Hashirim. Rabbi Akiva's eyes poured with tears like water. Then the fire reappeared again. When he reached the verse "stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples, for I am sick with love" (Shir Hashirim 2:5), Rabbi Akiva could not bear any more. He raised his voice and burst out bellowing (like a bull). And he could not speak out of fear of the Shechinah that was there.

Now a prior aspect of this union includes the aspect of embrace which occurs at the hand of Ḥesed and Gevurah. This mystery is hinted at in the verse, his left hand is under my head (Song of Songs 2:6, 8:3)—this indicates that the emanation of Ḥesed is influenced by Tiferet and unites with it. Afterwards Tiferet continues [the emanation] to Gevurah and unites with it. Thus the Bridegroom is united on his two arms. After that he receives the Bride with his left hand, and Gevurah extends into Malkhut and influences it. After that, the emanation of Ḥesed, the right arm, continues to her, and thus the left hand is below and the right hand embraces above. This is the mystery of his left hand.

Rabbi Yochanan then opened the discussion by quoting, "...until the day breaks, and the shadows flee away, Turn, my beloved, and be you like a roe or a young hart" (Shir Hashirim 2:17). "Until the day break" is a warning for a person who is still in this world; it is like the "blink of the eye." Come and behold, what does it say? "Even if he lived a thousand years twice" (Kohelet 6:6), on the day of his death, it all seems as one day to him.

This is the advice necessary for the man whom the king wishes to honor (Esther 6:6). Peace of mind to the poor and lowly of spirit, who trembles at His word (Isa. 66:2). Let him not boast of the morrow (Prov. 27:1), “for the reward of [the performance of] a commandment is a commandment” (Avot 4:2). He desired it for his habitation (Ps. 132:13); until the day breathe (Song 2:17) man will go out to his labor (Ps. 104:23), [which] will be accepted for him (Lev. 1:4), his fruit in its time (Ps. 1:3). This tarrying in the house for a little (Ruth 2:7), for the command of the king was urgent (I Sam. 21:9). Prepare outside your sword and your bow (Gen. 27:3), and do all your labor (Exod. 20:9) in Scripture, Mishnah, and Gemara, and there will be stored for you in the field of apples⁴The “apple trees” symbolize the sefirot from Gedulah to Yesod. Malkhut is called the “Field of Apples” because she is filled with “apple trees.” a heap of good deeds. Afterwards you will build your house “as a meeting house for the sages” (Avot 1:4), numerous and perfect (Nah. 1:12), seated upon judgment seats (Judg. 5.10) in holiness, and receiving one from another in whispers, crowned with their tefillin and fringes which they make for themselves (Deut. 22:12) to wrap themselves with awe and fear. They seclude themselves like standing Seraphim (Isa. 6:2), like brethren sitting together (Ps. 133:1). And if, as God lives (I Sam. 20:3), they speak of the face of the eagle (Ezek. 1:10), they were swifter and stronger than lions (I Samuel 1:23), and the noise of the wings of the living creatures (Ezek. 3:13) says, Blessed be the glory of God (Ezek. 3:12), who loves righteousness (Ps. 11:7), and the words rejoice as when they were given at Sinai from before God, the Lord of all the earth (Josh. 3:13).

And so the spirit rests, and an image with it, (104a) the same likeness that it had above, in that same image the spirit was created, in that same image it goes around in this world. For instance, it is written "but in the image a person walks" (Psalms 39:7). While the image is still found with the human, the human is still alive in this world, since they are joined as one. [Another version: and the two are joined as one). And King Solomon warned the human and said "until the day blows gently and the images/shadows fly" (Songs, 2:17) - two [tzelem outside and inside].

(37) And the kindling of love is truly happiness, and this is the fire that comes from the left side, which is the wine that makes happiness, and it is the what brings about connection, and so too it is explained in the Zohar (Korach, 178b) regarding the issue of "and the Levite, he will work" (Numbers 18:23) - and this is the text: "He will complete a completeness, and be one with all. He - simply to receive the congregation of Israel, as it says "and His left hand is under my head" (Songs, 2:6), in the sense of the connection of a pair as one. Who says love? It is "he". Until here the words of the text. And there, there are many explanations for the word "he", and in this explanation "he" is in Binah, and from there the happiness of the congregation of Israel arouses, in the pairing, in a way that the World of Emanations will unite and become completely one. It is seen that the essence of happiness is the union and connection of the World of Emanations all as one, and see that through the One Who Emanates, this is all the happiness that they illuminate and become one, all as one, until the One Who Emanates will illuminate them, as appropriate.

"Bereshit, in the beginning" (Genesis 1:1). This includes two fires ("trei esh"), which are the two flames [referred to in the blessing] "Blessed is the Creator of the lights of fire". And in this regard it is written (Song of Songs 2:5) "Sustain me with cakes (ashishot)", that is, with two fires (eishot). Why is 'sustain me' said in this context? This refers to the eves of the Shabbat, when an additional soul descends in order to support the lower Shechina in exile, of whom it is said (Amos 5:2) "Fallen, not to rise again [is the maiden of Israel.]" When Shabbat reaches its end, this additional soul leaves, of which it is written (Exodus 31:17) "[God was] refreshed (vayinafash)". [This is the meaning of ] vayinafash? As soon as it leaves, woe to the soul! (vay nefesh!), for nobody is left to support her. In such moments, she cries out to Israel "Support me with ashishot", that is, with lights of fires. What are these fires? Two Torahs, carved of fire, which are ELOHIM, the aspect of might. These are known as (Isaiah 54:13) "Teachings of the Lord," two lips of burning flames, or two apples out of which the spirit of the Messiah comes, of which is said (Isaiah 11:2) "The spirit of the Lord shall alight on him."

[This can be compared] to a princess confined in sickness because of her love for her husband. When her husband left she fell to her bed, crying out and saying "Support me with cakes,ashishot)". So too, she [the Shechina] is confined in sickness, and says (Song of Songs 2:5) "Refresh me..." With what? "...with apples," which flourish in the trees of the forest - and these are the fragrant plants.

The third elder rose and said: Rabbi! Rabbi! Behold, we do the Havdalah ceremony with [all sorts of] fragrant plants, even though she specifically spoke about apples. Rather, we use fragrant plants, of which it is said (Song of Songs 7:9) "Your breath is like the fragrance of apples." Moreover, all sorts of fragrant plants are fit for [these Havdalah] blessings. [In fact,] we use myrtle branches, because they have [sets of] three leaves, known as the 'three hadassim', which hint at the three forefathers. The two nostrils [smelling the fragrance], however, represent the two apples, the two true prophets, from whom the holy spirit - the faithful shepherd - is destined to issue. Thus it is written (Song of Songs 2:5) "Refresh me with apples, for I am faint with love."

When the groom, that is, the sun, comes to light up the moon, she decorates her hair with thirteen decorations - twelve constellations and the moon. And He (Psalms 19:6) "is like a groom coming forth from his chamber; like a hero, eager (yasis) to run," - to run his courses in the heavens. He surely peeks (yatsits) at her, as it says (Song of Songs 2:9) "Peeking through the lattice." - looking at her in the heavens.

she is adorned in all kinds of jewellery, [she is] as Jerusalem, the neck of the world - the Holy One surrounds her, as it says (Zachariah 2:9) "And I will be - declares the Lord - a wall of fire around it." He embraces her with two arms, as it is written, (Song of Songs 2:6) "His left hand under my head, and his right arm embraced me."